Fallible and Infallible Religion

73/07/18 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.21-22

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

arjuna uvaca
senayor ubhayor madhye
ratham sthapaya me 'cyuta
yavad etan nirikse 'ham
yoddhu-kaman avasthitan
kair maya saha yoddhavyam
asmin raa-samudyame
 [Bg. 1.21-22]

Translation: "Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see who is present here, who is desirous of fighting, and with whom I must contend in this great battle attempt."

Prabhupada: Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. Before this, Krsna was addressed as Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa we have explained. Now Krsna is addressed here Acyuta. Cyuta means fallen, and acyuta means not fallen. Just like we are fallen. We are fallen conditioned souls. In this material world we have come with an enjoying spirit. Therefore we are fallen. If one keeps his position rightly, he does not fall. Otherwise he is degraded. That is fallen condition. So all the living entities within this material world, beginning from Brahma down to the small insignificant ant, they are all fallen, fallen conditioned souls. Why they are fallen?

krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare
pasate maya tare japatiya dhare

Fallen means when the living entities are under the clutches of this material energy. That is called fallen. Just like a man, when he is under police custody, it is to be understood that he is a criminal, he is fallen. He has fallen down from good citizenship. Similarly, we are all parts and parcels of Krsna. Mamaivamso jiva-bhuta. So as part and parcel, our position is to live with Krsna. Just like this is my finger, part and parcel of my body. The finger must remain attached with this body. When this finger is cut off and fallen, although it is finger, it is no longer as important as it was formerly when it was attached with this body. So anyone who is not attached with the service of the Supreme Lord, he is fallen. This is the conclusion.

But Krsna is not fallen. If Krsna... Because He comes to reclaim us.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
 [Bg. 4.7]

Krsna says that "I appear when there is discrepancies in the, I mean to say, occupational duties of the living entities." Dharmasya glanir bhavati. We don't translate dharma as "religion." Religion in the English dictionary, it is "a kind of faith." Faith can be changed. But dharma is a word which cannot be changed. If it is changed, it is to be understood artificial. Just like the water. Water is liquid, everyone knows. But sometimes water becomes hard, very hard, ice. So that is not the natural position of water. Artificially, on account of excessive cold or by artificial means the water becomes solid. But the real position of water is liquidity.

So when we are detached from the service of the Lord, this is also unnatural, unnatural. Natural position is that we must be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is our natural position. Therefore the Vaisnava kavi says that krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare. When a living entity forgets Krsna, forgets Krsna's position... Krsna's position... Krsna says, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram: [Bg. 5.29] "I am the proprietor, I am the enjoyer." This is the Krsna's position. He never falls down that position. Krsna is enjoyer. He keeps always that position. He never falls down. He never comes to the position of being enjoyed. That is not possible. If you want to bring Krsna on the position of being enjoyed, then you are defeated. Being enjoyed means keeping Krsna in front, I want to get some profit of sense gratification. That is our unnatural position. Krsna will never agree. Krsna will never agree. Krsna cannot be enjoyed. He is always enjoyer. He is always the proprietor. So krsna bhuliya jiva means when we forget this position of Krsna, that He is the Supreme Enjoyer, He is the supreme proprietor... This is called forgetfulness. As soon as I think that "I am enjoyer, I am proprietor," this is my fallen stage. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare. Then japatiya dhare, maya, immediately maya captures.

Therefore a conditioned soul, fallen conditioned soul, is struggling for existence. He is trying to be enjoyer, he is trying to be proprietor. That is his artificial way of life. Just like if a woman wants to become a man, that is her artificial position. She may dress herself as a man, just like in the western countries sometimes we see woman is artificially dressing like man, with hat, coat, man, riding on horse. That is artificial. So similarly, our position here in this material world is artificial. We are trying to imitate a man.

Actually the living entities are described in the Bhagavad-gita, prakrti. Prakrti means woman. And purusa means man. So the living entities are never described as purusa. Purusa is Krsna. Purusa sasvata. When Arjuna said, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvatam adyam... [Bg. 10.12]. Purusam sasvatam. Krsna is always purusa. God cannot be female. God is always male, purusa. And we are prakrti. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim para.

After describing the material energy, bhumir apo analo vayuh, earth, water, air, fire, this material.... This is also female, prakrti. Female means.... In India we have got little experience. The female is always controlled. Female is never given the position of controller. Nowadays it is going on. Just like Indira Gandhi, she has given the position of controller. This is artificial. In the history of India, greater India, Mahabharata, you will never find that a woman has been given a position of controller. No. It is not possible.

We have to take things from the sastra. In the Bhagavad-gita also woman's position has been equated with sudra. Striyah sudras tatha vaisyas te 'pi yanti param gatim. So position must be ascertained. But this position is artificial. Here either woman or man, they are in artificial position. Because a woman may be in women's dress, but her mind is like man. She also wants to enjoy. And the others, the so-called man.... The so-called man is also not man; he is woman. Prakrti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim para. Prakrti. As the earth, water, air, fire, sky, they are also controlled, the supreme controller is Krsna, similarly, the so-called man or woman in this material world, they are also controlled. Nobody can say that "I am not controlled." Who is here? You must be controlled.

Therefore we see two prakrtis: para prakrti and apara prakrti. But all of them are controlled; none of them are the controller. And that is the difference between purusa and prakrti. Purusa means controller. And prakrti means controlled. Purusa means predominator, and prakrti means predominated. This is the difference. So Krsna does not fall from his position of predominator. Therefore He is addressed as Acyuta, Acyuta. Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. Another meaning of Acyuta... Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Arjuna knows that "I am not controller; I am controlled." He is devotee, he knows his position. Therefore he is now trying to control Krsna. He is ordering Krsna. Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya: "My dear Krsna," he is not addressing as Krsna -- Acyuta, "now you place my chariot between the two parties." This is ordering. That means Arjuna becoming controller. And Krsna becoming controlled. Just the opposite. Therefore Arjuna knows his subordinate position and he is ordering to Krsna. So indirectly he is begging to be excused: "My dear Krsna, I cannot order You. Order must come from You. But because You promised to carry out my order, You wanted to become my chariot driver, therefore I am ordering. Therefore I am ordering. I am not in position of ordering to You and You promised to carry out my order, and I think You are fixed up in Your that promise. Therefore I am asking you, Acyuta. You don't fall from Your promise." This is the... senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta. What is the number of verse?

Devotee: Page forty-eight.

Prabhupada: Forty-eight? The next point is that Arjuna wanted to see with whom he had to fight. He had no desire to fight. That will be explained. He was fighting unwillingly. Unwillingly. Because he is a Vaisnava, unnecessarily he does not want to kill, although he is ksatriya. It is his duty. Whenever there is discrepancy, killing, as representative of Krsna... Krsna has got two business. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. He has got two businesses. One business is to give protection to the devotees, sadhu, sadhu. Sadhu means devotee. Sadhu does not mean simply by changing dress, saffron color, and smoking beedies. That is not sadhu. Sadhu means devotee.

One who is devotee... That is explained in many sastras. Sadhavah sadhu-bhusanam. Sadhu-bhusanam.

titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-bhutanam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah

This is the qualification of sadhu. Sadhu is titiksava, tolerates all kinds of miserable conditions. He is sadhu. Because this is a place of miserable condition. A sadhu learns how to tolerate. Sadhu is never disturbed. Yasmin sthito gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate. A sadhu, who has got the shelter of Krsna, if he is placed in the severest type of dangerous condition, he is never disturbed. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, his father was putting him in so many dangerous conditions, even he was supplying with poison. He knew that "My father has given me poison to drink. All right, let me drink. If Krsna likes, He will save me. I am now put into such dangerous position. I have to drink. Father is giving poison. Who can check?" And such a big powerful Hiranyakasipu. The mother cried, requested... He forced the mother, Prahlada's mother, "Give your son this poison." So she begged so much, but he was a rascal demon. "No, you must give." So the mother knew, the son knew that the rascal father is giving this poison. What can he do, a small child? "All right, let me drink." Gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate. He is not agitating. "All right, if Krsna likes, I will live." This is the position of sadhu. He is not disturbed. Titiksavah. In all circumstances, he is tolerant. That is sadhu. Sadhu does not become disturbed. Titiksavah. At the same time, karunikah. He is himself disturbed, but he is merciful to others.

Just like Jesus Christ. He is being crucified, and still he is merciful: "God, these people do not know what they are doing. Please excuse them." This is sadhu. He is personally being disturbed by the demons, but still, he is merciful to the general people. They are suffering for want of Krsna consciousness. So even up to the point of death, he is trying to preach Krsna consciousness. "Let the people be benefited. Eh, what is this material body? Even if I am killed, I am not killed. This body is killed, that's all." This is sadhu. Titiksavah karunikah. In one side he is tolerant, and other side, merciful.

In the material world, when one man is disturbed, he cannot do any beneficial work to any others. He is disturbed. "No, I am very much disturbed. Don't talk with me." No. But sadhu still goes on benefiting the people in general. Titiksavah karunikah. And what kind of benefit? The so-called rascals humanitarian work? No. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. He is beneficial to all kinds of living entities.

Not this rascaldom, daridra-narayana. Just like one rascal has manufactured this daridra-narayana. The poor man has become Narayana, and the goat Narayana is killed for their feeding. Not this kind of sadhu. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. A sadhu will not allow any kind of killing. See in the Christian religion, it is first injunction is "Thou shalt not kill." If you want to become religious... They are simply killing, and still, they are claiming "Christian." What kind of Christian? Simply their business is killing. So it is very difficult to find out a Christian, although they are claiming, I am "Christian." It is very difficult. Because their business is killing. And Lord Jesus Christ ordered, first order is, "Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not covet." Who is following?

So sadhu is suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Why he should allow animal killing? They are also living entities, but for their benefit, the so-called sadhu says, "The animal has no soul." What is this nonsense? Animal has no soul? Why? What is the difference between animal and man? What are the symptoms of possessing the soul? They are all equal. The man also eats, the animal also eats. The man also sleeps, the animal also sleeps, the man also have sex life, the animals also have sex life. The man also defends, the animals also defends. So where is the deficiency that you say that the animal has no soul?

Imperfect knowledge. Or making adjustment for their own benefit. Now they are making correction: "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not murder." That means it will come to human being. But the actual commandment is "Thou shalt not kill." But these Christian people, they are making some amendment, "Thou shalt not murder." Because murder will apply to the killing of human beings. But Lord Jesus Christ never said like that. "Thou shalt not kill." It is applicable both for human being and for animal or even for trees. Unnecessarily you cannot kill. That is sadhu. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. "Don't kill my brother, but you can kill my neighbors." Not like that. He is not sadhu. Sadhu is kind to all living entities.

Krsna consciousness means to become kind to everyone. Therefore we say, "No meat-eating." Meat-eating means killing the animals. Killing the animals. Why you shall kill animals? You have to take Krsna prasadam. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham asnami [Bg. 9.26]. Krsna says... Krsna is God. He can eat everything, everything. Krsna ate fire, you know. There was forest fire in Vrndavana. All the cowherds boys they became very much frightened, "Krsna." "Yes, I'm ready." He ate up all the fire. So for Krsna He could eat anything He likes. He is God. But still, He recommends, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Why? Because we have to take Krsna's prasadam, so therefore He is recommending, "These things you can give Me." Patram puspam phalam toyam. So that is our food. We are devotees of Krsna. We are meant for eating the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krsna.

That is our... Jihva, tara madhye... If you want to conquer the tongue, then you fix up your mind that you shall not take anything which is not offered to Krsna. Then your tongue will be controlled. Tara madhye jihva ati lobhamaya sudurmati. Tongue is the bitterest enemy of the living being. The tongue is dragging. Jihva. "Kindly give me this immediately. Kindly give me this wine immediately. Kindly give me this tea immediately. Kindly give me this cigarette immediately. Kindly give me this meat." Why? Control. Krsna says, patram puspam phalam toyam. So we have to take prasadam, eat Krsna prasadam. Then naturally the other things will be negativated. This is the position. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29].

So if all human beings become vegetarian, not vegetarian, but eater of the Krsna's prasadam, all these liquor house and slaughterhouse and brothels will be closed. This is Krsna consciousness movement. We want to close these nonsense places of sinful life: brothels, illegitimate sense gratification, sex relationship, prostitution. If we are embarrassed with this sinful life, there is no possibility of becoming again acyuta. We remain cyuta, fallen. We remain fallen.

It is not so easy thing that "I do everything, whatever I like." Some rascals preach that "Oh, religion has nothing to do with your eating. You can eat anything you like, and still you become a religious man." This is all nonsense. Nobody can become religious man if he is attracted by sinful activities. It is not possible. You must stop sinful activities. That is first condition. Otherwise you cannot understand what there... People... Perhaps, in this Krsna conscious, except this Krsna conscious movement, all rascals, they do not know what is God. They have no clear conception of God. Because they are sinful. We can give the name, address and everything of God, clear conception, not vague idea, "God may be like this, God may be like that." Why maybe? He is God.

venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham
 govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs. 5.30]

Clear conception. The sastra, Brahma-samhita, clear description of God, venum kvanantam. He is playing on flute. It is not that the Muralidhara, Syamasundara, Krsna, has been imagined by some poet. No, it is described in the sastra, the form of the Lord. He is busy in playing flute, venum kvanantam. Aravinda dalayataksam [Bs. 5.30], His eyes are just like petals of the lotus flower. Venum kvanantam aravinda, barhavatamsa, there is a peacock feather on His head. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30], and He is so beautiful that His beauty can cut down thousands of Cupids. Cupid is supposed to be the most beautiful in this material world. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.30]. Clear conception.

This is the description of God in the sastra. And when God came, Krsna came on this planet, the same description. He is playing on flute, He has got the feather, peacock feather. So this painting of Krsna is not an artist's imagination. It is exactly the form. So here is the form of the Lord. Here is the name of the Lord. Here is the activities of the Lord. This is clear conception. A sadhu knows what is God. Or sadhu cannot know. They are thinking, "God must be like this, God may be like this, He must be a very old man," because adi-purusa. He is the first living... In this way... So you cannot create God by imagination. That is not possible. God is God, always. You have to know simply what is God. He is never cyuta.

God never becomes fallen down from His original position. The original position is, God describes Himself, mattah parataram nanyat: "There is no more superior authority than Me." That is God. One, if he is controlled, how he can be God? The supreme controller is God, the supreme controller is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Isvarah means controller, and paramah means supreme. And who is that? Krsna. Krsna says also, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So He is acyuta. He keeps His position. He never falls down. We are all fallen souls. Because our position, our Acyuta position is to serve Krsna. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna.

The same example: Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. Its business is to serve the body. That is the business. There is no other business. A finger can pick up a rasagulla and keep it here. The finger cannot eat. Similarly, we cannot eat directly. That is our diseased condition. We have to offer Krsna. When Krsna eats, if we eat that, then we become energized. Just like you rasagulla put into the mouth. When it goes to the stomach, the finger immediately becomes reddish. The finger enjoys. Not only the finger, the eyes enjoy, the legs enjoy, because the energy is distributed. Directly we cannot be energized by eating. We must eat Krsna's prasadam. This is principle. Jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109].

So if we serve Krsna, that is our Acyuta position. If we deny to serve Krsna, that is vicyuta, fallen condition. Acyuta and vicyuta. So to become Krsna conscious means acyuta-gotra. Acyuta-gotra. Gotra, perhaps you do not know. Gotra is the family tradition. According to Vedic civilization, everybody has got gotra. Gotra means of the same family, of rsis, gotra, from the rsis. So we have to become acyuta-gotra, again belonging to the family of Krsna. Now we are fallen. Therefore we have forgotten that we belong to the family of Krsna. When we revive our consciousness, Krsna consciousness, that "I belong to the Krsna's family..." Krsna is not alone, eko bahu syama. He wants to enjoy.

So we are family members of Krsna, not void. That is another rascaldom. Why Krsna should be alone? He is so powerful, He is so opulent, have you got any experience that a powerful person, opulent person is alone? Where is that example? Any rich man, any powerful man, any king, any lord, oh, he has got so many associates. So how Krsna can be alone? Krsna is never alone. Therefore you will find always Krsna with the gopis, Krsna with the cowherds boys, Krsna with Arjuna. Krsna is never alone. So these are the conditions of becoming acyuta. So Arjuna knows all these things because he is a devotee. Therefore particularly he is addressing Krsna, senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta. That's all right. Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973

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First, second...Class Rascals

73/07/17 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.20

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

atha vyavasthitan drstva
dhartarastran kapi-dhvajah
pravrtte sastra-sampate
dhanur udyamya pandavah
hrsikesam tada vakyam
idam aha mahi-pate
 [Bg. 1.20]

Translation: "O King, at that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, who was seated in his chariot, his flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows, looking at the sons of Dhrtarastra. O King, Arjuna then spoke to Hrsikesa, Krsna, these words:"

Prabhupada: So again the word hrsikesa is used here. In the beginning also, hrsikesah pancajanyam. Krsna is again designated as Hrsikesa. As we have explained several times, bhakti means hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Bhakti, the whole devotional service program, means hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam. So Arjuna was meant for serving Krsna, because he is bhakta. Krsna has already addressed him, bhakto 'si, priyo 'si, rahasyam hy etad uttamam: "My dear Arjuna, I am speaking to you the mystery of Bhagavad-gita." It is a mystery. Mystery means very complicated; no ordinary man can understand. Therefore it is called mystery, rahasyam. But not ordinary rahasyam, uttamam. Uttamam means transcendental, not covered with darkness of material science. But it is brilliant, daivam, divyam. Rahasyam.

So ordinary man cannot understand. Therefore they interpret foolishly, speculate, and demonstrate their rascaldom. That's all. Even big, big scholars. So they cannot understand because they are not devotee. It is meant for the devotee. This whole Bhagavad-gita is a transaction between God and His devotee. There is nothing more. Just like if you go to the market and two mercantile men talking. So it should be understood that he is also businessman, he is also businessman, so they must be talking something about business. It is natural conclusion. Two businessmen are talking seriously, not that they are discussing Bhagavad-gita. You cannot say that. They must be talking about business, something about profit.

Just like all the businessmen, they assemble in exchange, like stock exchange. So there is howling, great sound, talking with each other, tumultuous sound. That tumultuous sound means one businessman is talking, "What is your rate? This is my rate. What is your rate?" That's all. You cannot expect that a stock exchange, the people gathered there, they are talking something about Bhagavata and Bhagavad-gita. No.

Similarly, when there is talk between the Supreme Lord Krsna and His devotee, so this whole talk is bhakti. It is nothing else. They derive some meaning, jnana, jnanatmaka-vyakhya. They describe on the understanding of the jnanis, philosophical speculators. They are also candidate. Those who are jnanis actually, they are also interested to know what is Krsna. Jnani ca bharatarsabha, jijnasur. Arto artharthi jijnasur jnani ca bharatarsabha. These four classes of men, provided their background is pious life....

Impious life cannot inquire about God or can understand about God. We have several times repeated the verse,

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah [Bg. 7.28]

Papis, sinful men, they cannot understand. They understand, only think that "Krsna is Bhagavan; so I am also Bhagavan. He's an ordinary man, maybe little powerful, historically very famous man. So He is, after all, a man. So I am also man. So why not I am God?" This is the conclusion of the abhaktas, non-devotees and sinful men.

So anyone who is declaring himself God, immediately you should know he is the greatest sinful man. And if you study his private life, you will see that he is number one sinful man. This is the test. Otherwise nobody will say that I am God, this false representation. Nobody. Any pious man will not do it. He knows, "What I am? I am ordinary human being. How can I claim to take the position of God?" And they become famous among rascals.

As it is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, sva-vid-varahostra kharaih [SB 2.3.19]. What is that verse? Ustra-kharaih, samstutah purusah pasuh. They.... in this world we see there are many great men, so-called great men, and they are very much praised by the general people. So Bhagavata says, that anyone who is not a devotee, who never chants the Hare Krsna mantra, he may be very great man in the estimation of rascals, but he is nothing but an animal. Sva-vid-varaha-ustra-kharaih. "So how you can say such a great man. You are saying that animal." Our business is very thankless task. We say any man who is not a devotee, he is rascal. We say generally. It is very harsh word, but we have to use it. As soon as we see that he is not a devotee of Krsna, then he's a rascal. How do we say? He is not my enemy, but we have to say because it is stated by Krsna.

If we are really Krsna conscious, then our business is to repeat the words of Krsna. That's all. What is the difference between a Krsna's representative and non-representative? The representative of Krsna will simply repeat what Krsna says. That's all. He becomes representative. It doesn't require much qualification. You simply repeat with firm conviction. As Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So one who has accepted this fact, that, "If I surrender to Krsna, my all business is successful," he is Krsna's representative. That's all.

You don't require to be very highly educated or advanced. Simply if you simply accept that what Krsna says... Just like Arjuna said, sarvam etam rtam manye yad vadasi kesava: "My dear Krsna, Kesava, whatever You are saying, I accept it, without any change." That is bhakta. Therefore Arjuna is addressed, bhakto 'si. This is the bhakta's business. Why shall I think of Krsna as like me, ordinary man? This is the difference between a bhakta and not bhakta. A bhakta knows that "I am insignificant, a small spark of Krsna. Krsna is individual person. I am also individual person. But when we consider about His power and my power, I am most insignificant." This is understanding of Krsna.

There is no difficulty. Simply one must be sincere, not sinful. But a sinful man cannot understand Him. The sinful man, he will say, "Oh, Krsna is also man. I am also man. Why I am not God? He is simply God? No, I am also. I am God. You are God, you are God, every God." Just like Vivekananda said, "Why you are searching after God? Don't you see so many gods are loitering in the street?" You see. This is his God realization. This is his God realization. And he became a big man: "Oh, he is seeing everyone God."

This foolishness, this rascaldom, is going on all over the world. One does not know what is God, what is power of God, what is meant by God. They are accepting some rascal as God. As nowadays, that is going on. Another rascal has come. He is also declaring himself God. So it has become very cheap thing. But they have no brain to think that "I am claiming God; what power I have got?"

So this is the mystery. This is the mystery. Without becoming devotee, the mystery of understanding God is not possible. And Krsna has said in the Bhagavad-gita how one can know Him. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Only by devotion, simply. He could have said, "By high, topmost knowledge" or "By yogic process" or "By acting, becoming a very great karmi, worker, one can understand Me." No, he has never said, never said. So the karmis, jnanis, yogis, they are all rascals. They cannot understand Krsna. All rascals. Karmis are third-class rascals, the jnanis are second-class rascal, and the yogis are first-class rascal. That's all.

You should understand, the so-called yogis, they are first-class rascal because they do not understand Krsna. The jnanis they are also second-class rascal. Even a big scholar like Dr. Radhakrishnan, he is how, I mean to say, deforming the meaning of Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "You always think..." This is Krsna consciousness, man-mana: "Always think of Krsna, Me, about Me," Krsna says. And they will make meaning that you can say also. "Krsna says that you always think of Him; you can say also, Think of me." This meaning, they are distorting. So Krsna says man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], and this Dr. Radhakrishnan says, "It is not to the Krsna person." Just see. Just a big scholar, doctor of philosophy, he cannot understand Krsna. Krsna says directly, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. He is interpreting in a different way.

Therefore this word is used here, hrsikesa. Hrsikesam idam vakyam, hrsikesam tada vakyam idam aha mahi-pate [Bg. 1.20]. Mahi-pate, "O King..." Sanjaya was addressing Dhrtarastra. He's a king. So mahi-pate. Hrsikesam kapi-dhvajah. Kapi-dhvajah is nominative. So "He said..." Kapi-dhvajah. Kapi-dhvajah is also significant. Kapi-dhvajah, Arjuna, on his... Just like nowadays also, every nation has different types of flags, so Arjuna also had his flag on the... Dhvajah. Dhvajah means the flag. The flag was on the top of his chariot. And it was marked with Hanuman, Vajrangaji, Vajrangaji, Hanuman, who fought for Lord Ramacandra. He is fighting for Krsna. So he is also following the footsteps of Vajrangaji.

Vaisnavism is like that. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Vaisnava should follow his previous mahajana, authority. That is Vaisnavism. We don't manufacture ideas. We don't commit such rascaldom. We simply accept the behavior or the activities of previous acaryas. There is no difficulty. There is no difficulty.

So in the fighting principle, Arjuna is fighting for Krsna. He is following the previous fighting acarya, Hanumanji. Therefore he has depicted his flag with Hanuman, that "Hanumanji, Vajrangaji, kindly help me." This is Vaisnavism. "I have come here to fight for Lord Krsna. You fought also for the Lord. Kindly help me." This is the idea. Kapi-dhvajah. So any activities of the Vaisnava, they should always pray to the previous acarya, "Kindly help me. Kindly..." This is, Vaisnava is always thinking himself helpless, helpless. And begging help from the previous acarya.

Just like in Caitanya-caritamrta you will find, the author, at the end of every chapter:

sri rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

His every line, he is thinking of Rupa-Raghunatha, previous acaryas. "So let me surrender to the gosvamis and they will help me how to write." You cannot write. That is not possible.

So this is Vaisnava's policy. Vaisnava thakura, tomara kukkura, baliya janaha more. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, "My dear vaisnava thakura, you just accept me as your dog, as the dog works by the indication of the master." He will give his life. Dog has a good qualification. However a strong dog may be, when the master orders, he will give his life. This is dog, faithful, so faithful to the master. So vaisnava thakura... So Bhaktivinoda Thakura is praying, vaisnava thakura, tomara kukkura, baliya janaha more: "My dear vaisnava thakura..." Vaisnava thakura means guru. "Kindly accept me as your dog." And he describes, I forget the exact language, that "I will always try to protect you. As dog keeps watch, so I will watch so nobody will come to disturb you. And whatever little prasadam you'll give me, I'll be satisfied." That dog's qualification. The master is eating, but the dog will never come, unless the master gives little morsel. He is satisfied. He is satisfied.

So this is Vaisnavism, to follow the previous acarya. This is Vaisnavism. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186], dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam mahajano yena gatah.... Tarko 'pratisthah srutayo vibhinna. Tarko, if you are very great logician, you can argue, "Oh why Krsna can be God? I can be God," by logic you may defeat an ignorant devotee, but sastra says by becoming a big logician, you cannot understand transcendental knowledge. Transcendental knowledge you have to understand by submitting, pranipatena, tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. First of all surrender. Tad viddhi. If you want to know this transcendental science, then you must fully surrender. This is first qualification. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya. Three things. First surrender; then if you cannot understand, then you question. Otherwise you have no right to question from a Vaisnava.

Not that "Can you show me God?" What qualification you have got? You want to see God. Another rascal will say "Yes, I will show you God. Come to me. I shall show you God." This is going on. One rascal inquires, "Can you show me God?" and the big rascal says, "Yes, come to me alone. I shall show you God." This business is going on. God's seeing is so cheap thing that any rascal comes, "Can you show me God," and another rascal says, "Yes, come to me. In the evening I shall show you." That means if he is a foolish rascal, then he will show him something magic, and he will understand, "Oh I have seen God." That's all, finished. God-seeing business is finished. And he comes... After God-seeing, he is the same, the same rascal. What improvement you have... You have seen God. What improvement you have made? God seeing is so cheap thing. No.

So we should be very careful. If we actually are interested in understanding... Manusyanam. It is not so easy. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many millions of persons, kascid yatati siddhaye, one person becomes interested how to make his life successful. Because they do not know what is successful life. They simply know who to work like hogs and dogs, day and night working. And what is the goal of life? Now, sense gratification. Just like the hogs. Hogs, you will find, day and night finding out where is stool. And he will eat. And as soon as the hogs become very fatty, because they eat actually very substantial... Stool is chemically very substantial food. It contains hydro-phosphytes. The doctors said. I do not know whether they have tasted. (laughter). But they taste it actually. When they test in laboratory, they taste. I know that. They taste it. They have to taste it. Because their laboratory, chemical examination means the symptoms has to be written, the characteristics. Just like potassium cyanide, they have not tasted. Because as soon as you taste, you will die. (laughter)

So chemical analysis means one has to test to find out the characteristic. So this I have seen, one doctor friend, he was keeping one dysentery stool in a plate, on his table, I saw. "What is this doctor?" He said, "Oh, it is to be tasted... It is dysentery stool". So they taste it. They have to. They take fish... Everyone, medical men know. So this hog's business is to eat stool, and as soon as he gets fatty, then sex. And that sex has no discrimination. You will see, a hogs, he does not care whether mother, sister or anyone, daughter. It doesn't matter. So this is hog civilization. Simply eating and getting strength of the senses and enjoy it.

This human life is not meant for that purpose. Therefore it is said that a person without God consciousness, Krsna consciousness, he is no better than these dogs and hogs. That's all. This is our conclusion. We don't give any formal respect. Of course, we have to give because we are in this world. But at heart we cannot give respect to a person who has not any sense of Krsna consciousness. We cannot give. Because who is going to give any respect to the dogs and hogs? Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh [SB 2.3.19]. Therefore Jiva Gosvami has commented on this verse... If somebody says that "This Mr. such and such, this Dr. such and such, he is respected by so many people, and you are saying that he's a rascal? What is this?" So Jiva Gosvami says that "This man, who is respected, but he is respected by whom? He is respected by this class of men: dogs, hogs, camel and asses. So he is a big pasuh."

Just like the lion. Lion is respected in the forest by dogs, hogs, camel and asses and other animals. Because lion is the king of the animals. But does it mean, because he is designated as the king of animals, it has got any use? Has it got any use for any purpose? Similarly, these political leaders, they may be lion, but who respects them? These dogs, hogs, camels and asses, that's all. He may be a big animal, but he is animal, no better than a big animal. That's all. And other animals praises, dogs, hogs, camels.

Every word in the Srimad-Bhagavata we have to... We have described why especially these animals have been selected, dogs, hogs, camels and asses. A dog is very faithful to his master. He will commit so many offenses for the sake of the master. Because he knows, "The master gives me food." So in your country, if you pass through one's house, from within the house they will bark, "Bark! Bark! Bark! Ba! Ba! Why you are going in front of my house?" This is committing offense, committing offense unnecessarily. So the dog's business: one side, he is very faithful, and one side, he is simply committing offense, unnecessarily frightening other people, unnecessarily, without any offense. And dog's another business is that he is seeking always master. Unless he finds out a good master, it is a street dog and it has no place. It has no place. It will not get sufficient food, become lean and thin, and loiter in the street. Because dog must find out... Sudra-like. Sudra, unless he finds out a master to provide him, his all education is useless.

Nowadays they are educated, but they must have a good service. That means he's a sudra. Without finding a master, his education has no value. So therefore in the sastra it is said, kalau sudra sambhavah. Kalau, "In this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is sudra." Because he cannot even live without having a master. He must have a master to provide him. But the Vedic culture is that brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, they will not accept any service. No. They will die of starvation. Especially brahmana. That is enjoined in the sastras, that a brahmana, if he is in bad position some way or other, economically, he may accept the position of a ksatriya or a vaisya, but he should not accept the position of a sudra. That is doggish. This is so injunction.

Therefore formerly a brahmana, when he accepts a service from anywhere, he was rejected from the brahmana society. You know, Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami, they belonged to a very high-class brahmana, Sarasvata Brahmana, very rich men. But both the brothers accepted service in Mohammedan government as ministers, and they were immediately rejected from the brahmana society. It is not very long ago, say, about five hundred years ago. The brahmana society was so strong. As soon as they will accept service. You know, the Tagore family of Calcutta, Rabindranatha Tagore, they are also brahmanas. But we know, in our childhood, they were also excommunicated from the brahmana family because they also accepted service.

So these are Vedic principles. If we follow... The brahmana will not accept anyone's service. That is against. Similarly, ksatriya. Ksatriya... Why this fight between Arjuna? They made them bereft of the kingdom. So they appealed to Duryodhana, that "My dear Duryodhana, you are my brother, you have taken all our properties. So we are ksatriya. We are not going to become vaisya or brahmana. We must live. Give us at least five villages, five brothers. We shall be satisfied. There is no question of war." "No, sir, not even the land which can hold the point of needle. I cannot spare." There is no way. Therefore there was fight. There was fight.

So these are the some of the glorious points of this fight. But he depended on Krsna, Arjuna. Therefore he was successful, victorious. You do, act as ksatriya. Not that as ksatriya he should become a brahmana beggar, no. A ksatriya cannot be beggar, neither a brahmana cannot be vaisya. This is real caste system. But you work as a cobbler, and at the same time you claim to become a brahmana, this is not allowed. Formerly the king used to see whether a brahmana is acting like a brahmana. Otherwise he will be stopped. Then he will be designated as he is working. This was the duty of the king to see that everyone is employed according to his profession. It was the duty of the king to see. Everyone must be employed. A brahmana must be working like a brahmana. A ksatriya must be working like a ksatriya. A vaisya must be working as a... Otherwise he cannot say.

Not like at the present moment, a brahmana is working, a servant, a sudra, and he is brahmana. No. This is called asuric varnasrama. Varnasrama. Varnasrama is very good institution. But still varnasrama, perfect varnasrama, cannot be possible in this age. Therefore when there was talk between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya that how perfection of life can be attained, so Ramananada Raya first of all quoted a verse from Visnu Purana,

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pumsam
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

That "When human society accepts this varnasrama institution, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vana... This is Vedic civilization. Without this division, there is no civilization. They are animals." So therefore he quoted this verse, varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman: "If anyone is following the principles of varnasrama, then he is worshiping Lord Visnu." Because the whole life is meant for worshiping Visnu. The present civilization, they do not know that. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know, rascals, that what is the aim of life. Aim of life is to become Vaisnava, servant of Visnu. Therefore the very word is used, hrsikesa. Hrsikesa, He is the guide. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61].

So Arjuna was strictly following the Vaisnava principles, and therefore he inquired from Hrsikesa because he knows, "The Hrsikesa will guide me." Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. Hrdi sannivisto. Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca. So Arjuna knew it. Therefore this very word is used. The other day, also hrsikesa word was there. And bhakti means to satisfy Hrsikesa. This is bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Bhakti, this is the simple definition of bhakti. Hrsikena. Hrsika means the senses. As you have got hands, legs, eyes, ears.... These are different senses. When you engage your senses only for the service of Krsna, then you become devotee. That's all. Your life is perfect.

You simply see Krsna nicely decorated in the temple. That is bhakti. You simply prepare foodstuff for Krsna. That is bhakti. You simply chant the holy name of Krsna. That is bhakti. In this way we can utilize all the senses. We can utilize our hands in collecting flowers, in cleansing the temple. If we haven't got education, ignorant, it doesn't require. Simply engage your senses, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Then you become perfect. You have got your senses. Engage the senses for the service of Krsna. Then you become perfect. Very nice thing. You don't require to become a very big philosopher, very rich man, very nicely educated, nothing of the sort. Simply you have got your senses. Engage the senses in the service of Krsna, your life is perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973

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Everybody Wants to Be Served

73/07/16 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.16-19

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

anantavijayam raja
kunti-putro yudhisthirah
nakulah sahadevas ca
sughosa-manipuspakau

kasyas ca paramesvasah
sikhandi ca maha-rathah
dhrstadyumno viratas ca
satyakis caparajitah

drupado draupadeyas ca
sarvasah prthivi-pate
saubhadras ca maha-bahuh
sankhan dadhmuh prthak prthak
 [Bg. 1.16-18]

"King Yudhisthira, the son of Kunti, blew his conchshell, the Anantavijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosa and Manipuspaka. That great archer the King of Kasi, the great fighter Sikhandi, Dhrstadyumna, Virata and the unconquerable Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the others, O King, such as the son of Subhadra, greatly armed, all blew their respective conchshells."

Prabhupada: So here Dhrtarastra is addressed as prthivi-pati, the lord of the world. Prthivi, prthivi means this planet. So five thousand years ago, from the statement it appears that the king of Hastinapura was the emperor of the whole world, prthivi-pati. One king, the whole planet was being governed by one emperor or king, and different parts of the world, other kings, subordinate kings, as they are named here, Drupada, then Virata, Kasya, in different parts of the world they came and joined. And each and every one of them possessed a different kind of bugle, sankha. So they declared that now we are ready to fight.

And another significance of this verse is, Yudhisthira is also described here as raja. In the beginning Sanjaya informed Dhrtarastra that Duryodhana raja. So actually the fight is between the two kings. One side Duryodhana, another side Yudhisthira. One may not misunderstand, therefore particularly mentioned kunti-putra, this raja is Kunti's son, kunti-putra. So Drupada, Maharaja Drupada, the father of Draupadi, Draupadi was gained by Arjuna in competition. Draupadi, the daughter of Maharaja Drupada is Draupadi. She is Draupadi. And her sons they are draupadeya.

So the grandfather, the grandsons, all of them were present, because they were allies. Maharaja Drupada happened to be the father-in-law of the Pandavas. Draupadi accepted five husbands. When Draupadi was gained in the competition, they were incognito. The Pandavas were incognito. They were banished for twelve years, and after twelve years, one year they had to live incognito. Nobody would understand where they are living. So they took shelter at the house of Maharaja Virata.

So Virata, at that time this Maharaja Virata's daughter Uttara, was trained by Arjuna for dancing. Arjuna was appointed as a dancing teacher for the daughter of Maharaja Virata, Uttara. So when it was discovered that Arjuna was not a dancing teacher, he was the great hero, Maharaja Virata wanted to offer his daughter, that you marry my daughter, because he was disclosed. So Arjuna said, "How can I marry this girl. I am her teacher. Therefore a teacher is to be considered as father, so it is not possible. So if you like I can get this girl married with my son Saubhadra, Subhadra's son."

Arjuna had another wife Subhadra. That Subhadra, you know, sister of Krsna. Sister of Krsna. So Subhadra, Balarama, elder brother, Krsna, younger brother. Krsna wanted to hand over Subhadra to Arjuna, and Balarama wanted to hand over Subhadra to Duryodhana. So Krsna could not say anything. The elder brother has decided. Therefore Krsna advised Arjuna to kidnap Subhadra. Just see how much Krsna was affectionate to Arjuna that Arjuna liked also to marry Subhadra, and Subhadra also liked, but the elder brother did not agree. So they made a plan that Arjuna kidnap Subhadra.

This kidnapping was allowed among the ksatriyas, and fight. That is ksatriya marriage. Unless there is fight, that marriage is not complete. The red vermillion which we apply, that is ksatriya principle. After killing the opposite party, the blood will be smeared over the hair of the bride. That is conquer, victory. So in every marriage, Krsna had 16,108 wives, and each wife was married by fighting, beginning from Rukmini. Rukmini also, the first wife of Krsna, the first queen, when Krsna became king of Dvaraka, she was the first queen. So Subhadra was kidnapped by Arjuna. Rukmini was settled up to be married with Sisupala. Sisupala also happened to be Krsna's cousin-brother, and Rukmini did not like that she would be handed over to Sisupala. She wanted to marry Krsna. So she sent one letter to Krsna that this is the position. "My brother Rukma, he has decided to hand over to me to Sisupala, but I don't like. So please arrange for kidnapping." A brahmana was sent to Krsna.

That is also another responsibility of ksatriya. If a girl proposes, "I want to marry you," a ksatriya cannot refuse, he cannot refuse. He must marry that girl, even at the risk of life. This is ksatriya spirit. One raksasi, she wanted to marry Bhima. So Bhima refused, she was a raksasi. So she complained to Maharaja Yudhisthira that I wanted to marry Bhima but he has refused. And Yudhisthira Maharaja compelled Bhima, "You must marry. Even though she is raksasi, you are ksatriya you cannot refuse." This was the system, very nice system, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Don't work now, you should hear. You cannot divert your attention.

So all these kings on the side of the Pandavas, they were relatives, so they joined. So when they blew their different types of conchshell, then the other side were trembled, "Oh, they have gathered so much strength." Because Duryodhana thought that for, continually for thirteen years Pandavas were banished, so they could not gather any good amount of soldiers. But when they saw that so many kings from different parts of the world have joined them, so they became frightened. That is described in the next verse, sa ghoso dhartarastranam hrdayani vyadarayat. They are just like heart-broken: "What is this? They have gathered so much great, great fighters." Nabhas ca prthivim caiva tumulo 'bhyanunadayan. You read this verse.

Pradyumna:

sa ghoso dhartarastranam
hrdayani vyadarayat.
nabhas ca prthivim caiva
tumulo 'bhyanunadayan
 [Bg. 1.19]

Translation: "The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious, and thus, vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra."

Prabhupada: So enemy, when one enemy fights, the other party, well-equipped, strong, so it breaks the heart of the enemy. That happened. So there is nothing to especially... The breaking of the heart by vibrating different types of conchshell from the side of the Pandavas, it broke the heart of the dhartarastranam. Dhrtarastra, his sons, one hundred sons. So from Dhrtarastra, Dhartarastra, dhartarastranam hrdayani vyadarayat. And it resounded both in the sky or on the surface. So I think that's all. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973

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Everything Belongs To God

73/07/15 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.15

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

pancajanyam hrsikeso
devadattam dhananjayah
paundram dadhmau maha-sankham
bhima-karma vrkodarah
 [Bg. 1.15]

Translation: "Then Lord Krsna blew His conchshell named Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhima, the voracious eater and performer of Herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell named Paundram."

Prabhupada: So Vrkodara, Bhimasena, is advertised as voracious eater. But he can perform Herculean task also. Just like the elephant, it eats voraciously, but it gives service also. Similarly if we simply eat voraciously and we cannot give any service that is not good. We must eat sumptuously and give service also. In Bengali it is said that pete keli pithe soya (?). If one is given sufficient food in the belly, he can carry more burden on the back. So Bhima-karma, his activities were very Herculean, very, very, difficult tasks he performed.

So everyone is named here with his task. The first name is, Krsna, Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa. He is the master of the senses. Govinda. Go means senses. "Who gives pleasure to the senses." So Krsna has got many names, thousands, out of which, the Krsna name is chief, mukhya. That is described in Vedic literature. People say God has no name. That is right. He has no particular fixed name. But His names are there according to His different activities. Just like His name is Devaki-nandana. Because He accepted Devaki as His mother, therefore He is called Devaki-nandana. Similarly, He is called Nanda-nandana, Yasoda-nandana, Vrajendra-nandana -- -in relationship with Nanda Maharaja, Yasoda, His foster father and mother. Similarly, He is sometimes named Partha-sarathi because He acted as the chariot driver of Arjuna. Arjuna's name is Partha. His mother's name is Prtha, Kunti's. From Prtha, his name is Partha. From his father's name, Pandu, his name is Pandava. So in this way big personalities or anyone, they should tally, the name should tally with the activities. This is nomenclature.
In the... According to Vedic civilization, after the birth of the child, there was name-giving ceremony, what kind of name. So that was calculated astrologically, that what kind of name he should be given, because the name should carry some meaning of the activities of his life. So Krsna is named here Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa, Krsna, in the fifteenth chapter is described that He gives direction to everyone. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: "I am sitting in everyone's heart as Paramatma." Realization of the Absolute Truth are three features, Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
 [SB 1.2.11]

Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. The same object. So the Brahman realization is impersonal realization. Just like the sun, the sun globe, and the sunshine. They are one, but the sunshine, realization of the sunshine, is not realization of the sun globe. Or realization of the sun globe is not realization of the sun god who is within the sun globe. Vivasvan. His name is Vivasvan. The present predominating Deity in the sun planet, his name is Vivasvan. And his son Manu is called Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. So at the... This is very nice example, that the sunshine, the sun globe and the sun god. They are all one, but still, the sun globe is not the person, sun god; neither the sunshine is not the person sun, although they are one. This is called acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, inconceivably one and different simultaneously.

So Brahman realization is also God realization, but it is partial. The Supreme Lord is sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. He is person. But He is not a person like us. He is sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Vigraha means person. So He is person, Bhagavan. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. Three features, realization of the Absolute. The first realization, imperfect realization, is impersonal Brahman. Further advanced realization -- Paramatma realization. And ultimate realization -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. These are the three stages.

So when He is Hrsikesa, it is His Paramatma feature. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya
 [Bg. 18.61]

Isvara, the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Isvara means the Supreme, isvara means controller. But the supreme controller is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Control everyone of us, we are controller. We control our family, our society, our business, our factory. There are different kinds of controller. So in that sense everyone is isvara, but different types of isvara. But the supreme isvara.... Supreme means nobody controls Him, but He controls everyone. That is Supreme. Here we are controller, but we are also controlled, somebody else, superior than me. Therefore we cannot be called supreme controller. Supreme controller is Krsna.

When Krsna was present on this planet, nobody could control Krsna, but He controlled everyone. Nobody could control Krsna. So therefore the great saintly persons, even Brahma, they have decided, that isvarah paramah krsnah: [Bs. 5.1] "The Supreme controller is Krsna." He controls even Brahma, adi-kavaye. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Tene, He instructed Brahma sabda-brahma, Vedic knowledge, hrda, through heart. That is Hrsikesa. You can argue that "Brahma was the first creature within this universe. So how he could be instructed by somebody else?" No. The somebody else is always there within the heart, Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa means controller. Sarvasya caham... Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, sarvasya, in the fifteenth chapter, sarvasya ca aham hrdi sannivistah: "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: [Bg. 15.15] "From Me, one remembers and one forgets also." Forgets also. If you want to forget Krsna, so Krsna will give you such intelligence that you will forget Him forever. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11].

So the atheist class, demon class, they want to forget Krsna. So Krsna gives him such intelligence that he can speak of atheism so many volumes. But he is getting that intelligence from Krsna. Krsna gives everyone the chance that "Whatever you want to do, you can do. I will give you intelligence. So if you want to become atheist, then I will give you intelligence how to become first-class atheist, like Hiranyakasipu, Ravana, Kamsa. And if you want to become devotee, then I will give you intelligence also in that way." Buddhi-yogam dadami tam yena mam upayanti te. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. Anyone who is engaged in His service with love and affection, tesam, not all, not all... Because not all, not everyone wants to serve Him. Everyone wants to become God, imitator. Imitation. Therefore they say, "Why Krsna shall be alone God? I am God." You are God. That's all right. But you are not the Supreme God. Why you forget that? You may be a God at home of your wife, but when you go to your office, you are not god; your master is god. He directs you to do something; you have to do it.

So we may claim that "Every one of us, we are God," but nobody can claim that "We are supreme; I am Supreme God." That is not possible. That can, Krsna can claim only. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "My dear Dhananjaya, there is no more superior personality than Me." And He proved it. So God cannot be manufactured. God is God. Krsna, when He was three months old on the lap of His mother, still, He was God. He could kill the Putana. So God cannot be manufactured by so-called meditation and mystic power. You can get some of the insignificant powers of God, but simply, but you do not know how much powerful is God. That you do not know. Therefore when a person gets little power, he thinks that he has become God. He does not know how much powerful God is.

So therefore sastra says that "You may be god in your own atmosphere, in your own jurisdiction. You may think that you are God." And everyone thinks like that. "But the Supreme God is Krsna." Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. In the Upanisads it is said that God is also a person like me, you. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). But His personality is different from your personality, from my personality. What is that difference? Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman: "He supplies all the necessities of all other personalities." That is the difference. God is supplying us food. This conception is there in the Bible, "God, give us our daily bread." This is nice. Accepting that you are getting all supplies from God, this is sukrti, this is punyavat.

If one, anyone says, "Oh, what God? We are creating our own food." Just like the Communist says. They are duskrtina, rascals. But if anyone even goes to the church and temple for asking something to God, he is pious. At least, he has approached God. So one day when he will be advanced devotee, he will not ask any more. He knows that "Why shall I bother God? He is supplying everyone food, so why shall I ask Him food? My food is also there. Let me serve Him." That is his higher intelligence. That is higher intelligence, that "Why shall I ask food from God? God is supplying food to the cats, dogs, ants, elephants, and I want little food, he will not supply me? And especially when I engage myself in His service? Ordinary man pays to his servant, and I shall starve if I am engaged in the service of God?" This is intelligence. This is intelligence. "Why shall I bother God? If He likes, I will starve. That doesn't matter. But I must engage myself in the service of the Lord." This is intelligence. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. This intelligence comes after many, many births of endeavoring for self-realization. It is not easily comes.

So there is no question of scarcity for devotee. Just like this morning I was discussing with a gentleman. So a devotee is not in need of everything. Why he should be? He cannot be. Even one who is not devotee, if he is getting supplies from God, how is it that the devotee will not get? Just like the government. The government, although there is prisonhouse, the government supplies the food. Not that because they have gone to the prisonhouse, they are starving. Rather, those who are unemployed, they prefer prisonhouse, that without any service, they will get free food.

So anyone within this material world, they are prisoners. Bhramayan yantrarudhani mayaya. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Isvara, the Supreme Lord Krsna as Hrsikesa, He is sitting in everyone's heart as Paramatma, and He is guiding. This is confirmed in the Vedas that two birds are sitting on one tree. These two birds, one is Krsna and another, the living entity, Paramatma and jivatma. The jivatma is eating the fruit, and Paramatma is simply becoming witness. Anumanta upadrasta. Paramatma is seeing, Hrsikesa is seeing that you are doing this. So we may forget what nuisance we had done in our last life, but Paramatma is there, witness; you have to get a body according to your work. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. You are working, that is being witnessed by the Paramatma. And He is also giving advice. Because we have forgotten Krsna, we have rebelled against Krsna. We want to act according to our whims.

Just like a child wants to do something according to his whims. Father checks him, "My dear child, do not do this." But if he likes, if he persists, father says, "All right, you do it." This is the position. The Hrsikesa, Paramatma, He is always guiding us, but we do not accept His guidance. This is our position. Arjuna has accepted Krsna, that "I shall be guided by You. Although You'll not fight." Therefore here it is said, Hrsikesa, He's guiding Arjuna. The hrsika means the senses. Hrsika-isa. Isa means Lord, master, isvara or isa. So Hrsikesa. Actually, He is the master of the senses. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find. In the Eleventh Chapter it is said, sarvatah pani-padam tat, "God has His hands and legs all over the universe." What is that? This, our hand, our legs, this is God's hands, God's leg. He is the master. I am claiming, "This is my hand," but as soon as God withdraws the power of your hand, it is paralyzed, you cannot repair. Therefore the real proprietor is Krsna. You are not proprietor. You have been given the facility to use it, for..., use it not for your sense gratification, but for the satisfaction of the Lord. Then your life is perfect. Because the things belongs to Krsna. He is Hrsikesa. He is the master. Just like we are sitting in this house. Somebody has given us. Similarly, everything belongs to God. This is self-realization. My body belongs to God, my mind belongs to God, my intelligence belongs to God, I am spirit soul, I am part and parcel of God. Therefore everything belongs to...Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Everything belongs to God. So if you don't use it for God, that is called demonism. And if you use it for God, that is devotion. That's all.

One must realize that "Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to me. Even this body is given to me by God. "Why a different body? The different body is... God gives us different body according to our karma. That is explained. Karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. How we get a different type of body? We have got different types of body. Because according to our past karma, we have created a certain type of body and now we have entered into that body and working according to past karma.

The Christian theologicians, they do not believe in the karma. I was student in Christian college, Scottish Churches College. So in our younger days, the Professor, Dr. W.S. Urquhart. So I heard his lecture, that he did not believe in the karmas. He said that "If I am suffering or enjoying for my last karma, who is the witness? Because some witness must be there that I have done this." But at that time we were not very expert. But this Hrsikesa is the witness, anumanta upadrasta. Upadrasta. He is simply seeing. So the Christians, they have no Paramatma idea. Sometimes they say holy ghost. Means a clear idea. But this Hrsikesa is clear idea. Hrsikesa. Hrsika-isa.

So this bhakti, devotional path, is meant for satisfying the master of the senses. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Hrsikena, by your senses, when you serve the Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Narada-pancaratra. So that is our business. We should under... That is self-realization. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to us. This is Bhagavata communism. As the communists, they say, "Everything belongs to the state," we say "Everything belongs to God." We never say that anything belongs to anyone. No. This is Bhagavata communism. So everything belongs to God. So one can utilize God's property as much as he requires, not more than that. Then he will be thief, he will be punishable. Just like father's property. Each and every son has got the right to live at the father's protection. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam. That is spiritual communism. Whatever wealth is there within this universe, all belong to God, and we are, as sons of God, we have got right to take advantage of this wealth, but not more than what I require. That's all. This is spiritual communism. If you take more, then you become punishable. This is the law of nature.

Therefore our aim of life should be to understand that every..., to know... This is self-realization, that everything belongs to God. Nothing belongs to us. This is self-realization. I also belong to God. My, this body made of five elements, gross body... Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh [Bg. 7.4], earth, water, fire, air, sky. This is gross body. And subtle body, kham mano buddhir eva, mind, intelligence, ego. These eight. Krsna says, bhinna me prakrtir astadha: "These eight kind of prakrti, they are My energy. They are My energy." So this whole universe is creation of Krsna's material energy.

We are marginal energy of Krsna. So we are now put into this material energy because we wanted to enjoy this material world. In the spiritual world the only enjoyer is Krsna, either in spiritual or material world, He is the only enjoyer. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. "I am the enjoyer." So this is to be understood, that He is the supreme enjoyer. He is also enjoyer of My energy. Because my energy is derived from Krsna's energy. Just like master and servant. The master is paying him food, anything for comforts. He is getting energy. So how the energy should be utilized? For the master, not for his sense gratification. This is perfection of life. You produce anything by your energy, but you cannot use it for your sense gratification. Then you become perfect. And if you want to do it, then Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, will give you intelligence how to do it. Just like He is giving Arjuna intelligence. Therefore He is mentioned as Hrsikesa. How to win victory? How to utilize his energy for Krsna? Krsna wanted the battle. Arjuna was a military man. He utilized his military strength for Krsna's purposes. That is the perfection of life.

So whatever you have got, if you utilize it for Krsna's sake, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhakti [Cc. Madhya 19.170], that is bhakti. Even by fighting, you can be a great devotee, just like Arjuna. He was not chanting on the beads, but he was fighting. But still, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me. Krsna says, "Oh, you are My great devotee." Now people, may say that "He was not chanting. He was fighting. How he became a great devotee?" But Krsna says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: "You are My dear friend. You are My devotee. Because you are utilizing your energy for Me." So bhakti means you utilize your energy for Krsna. Then your life is perfect. Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.15 -- London, July 15, 1973

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People want to Be Cheated

73/07/14 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.13-14

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tatah sankhas ca bheryas ca
panavanaka-gomukhah
sahasaivabhyahanyanta
sa sabdas tumulo 'bhavat
 [Bg. 1.13]

Translation: "After that, the conchshells, bugles, trumpets, drums and horns were all of a sudden sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous."

Prabhupada: So there are mention of various types of musical instruments. Those instruments are no longer in use. But different types of bugles, drums, kettledrums, as they use in modern days. So the same principle. By musical instruments, the soldiers are kept alive so they can fight nicely. Sa sabdas tumulo 'bhavat: "When simultaneously all the instruments were sounded, it become tumultuous." Next verse. Tatah svetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau. Read it.

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tatah svetair hayair yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
madhavah pandavas caiva
divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh
 [Bg. 1.14]

Translation: "On the other side, both Lord Krsna and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells."

Prabhupada: So you have seen the picture. Krsna is driving four white horses. (reads from purport:) "In contrast with the conchshell blown by Bhismadeva, the conchshells in the hands of Krsna and Arjuna are described as transcendental." Krsna is transcendental. Narayanah paro 'vyaktat. Krsna is not of this material world. Krsna's body, Krsna's activities, everything of Krsna, they are transcendental. They are not of this material world. Divyam. In the catuh-sloki Bhagavatam it is said when Krsna was instructing Brahma, aham evasam evagre: [SB 2.9.33/34/35/36] "Before this material creation, I was existing." In the Vedas also, it is said, eko narayana asit. "Before creation, only Narayana was there."

So Krsna's position is always transcendental. He is not any creation of this material world. But because he comes just like a human being and acts also just like human being, those who are less intelligent, avajananti, they think of Krsna as ordinary human being. Avajananti mam mudhah [Bg. 9.11]. Mudhah. Mudhah means asses. Or less intelligent class of men. They cannot understand Krsna's position. Krsna's position is always transcendental.

When Arjuna inquired from Him about His instruction to sun-god, Krsna said, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. This bhakti-yogam of as mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita... Bhagavad-gita is bhakti-yogam, to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So this literature is also transcendental. Bhakti is also transcendental. Bhakti is not any activities of this material world. Janma karma me divyam. So bhakti is activity in relationship with Krsna. Therefore it is not material. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate, mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate [Bg. 14.26]. Bhakti-yoga is transcendental. And because Krsna is transcendental, you cannot understand Krsna by any material method. Therefore Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. The method also is transcendental, not of this material world. So if we can understand simply these facts, that Krsna is transcendental, Krsna's name is transcendental, Krsna's form is transcendental, sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Krsna's body is sac-cid-ananda, not body like this. This body is asat, acit and nirananda, just the opposite. This material body is asat. Asat means temporary. It will not exist. But Krsna's body is not like that. Krsna's body is eternal. That is cit. Sat-cit. Full of knowledge.

So less intelligent class of men, they cannot understand Krsna. Therefore sastra says, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Brs. 1.2.234]. These indriya, these material senses, cannot speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not possible. Srama eva hi kevalam. That is simply laboring, wasting time. Krsna should be understood as Krsna says. He can explain Himself. Nobody can explain. Because our senses are imperfect. We are deficient by four kinds of faults. We commit mistake; we are illusioned; with imperfect senses, we try to speak transcendental knowledge; therefore cheating. With imper... They will say, "Probably," "Maybe." This is the so-called scientists' language. That means imperfect knowledge. Still, they want to teach. This is cheating. Knowledge must be perfect. Then you can teach others.

So our process is to receive the perfect knowledge from the perfect source and distribute it. We don't manufacture knowledge. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is, as it is. The Bhagavad-gita is already perfect. Why shall I interpret with my imperfect senses? This is cheating. But people want to to cheated. Vancita-vancaka-sampradaya. The whole world is full of cheaters and cheated. Because we want to be cheated, there are so many cheaters. They don't want real thing. Here is the real thing, Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead speaking personally about Himself. Why should we interpret? Does it mean that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme authority, left something unexplained to be interpreted later on by some rascals? No. But the rascals dare; they interpret. That is cheating. That is another fault. There are 640-45 editions of Bhagavad-gita. Simply cheating. Amongst them, there are big, big scholars. Not scholars. All rascals, but they cheat. They pose themselves as scholars and people want to be cheated, so they take their words. So they cannot understand Krsna. Cheated. They take the shelter of the cheaters. Therefore they are cheated.

So the maya is very strong. Maya always dictates so that we may be cheated: "Why you are taking Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Don't take. He is ordinary man. You can be also equal with Krsna. You also become God. You become also incarnation." This is going on. And people flock there because they want to be cheated. What Krsna says, they will not accept it. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam: [Bg. 18.66] "Only take to Krsna consciousness." Sarva-dharman. Because any dharma which is not approved by the Supreme Lord Krsna, that is not dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. A human being or a demigod or very exalted person cannot manufacture dharma. That is not possible. Real dharma is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, and that real dharma is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. "Just surrender unto me." This is real dharma. Surrender to Krsna and follow His instruction; your life will be perfect. Because you follow the perfect instruction, therefore you are also perfect. Simple process. To become perfect, we have to follow the perfect instruction.

So in the Bhagavad-gita there is perfect instruction. And if we take it as it is and follow it, then we become perfect. To become perfect is not very difficult job. But because we don't want to become perfect, because we want to be cheated, we do not become perfect. This is the difficulty. So we should know from the very beginning that Krsna is transcendental. And all His activities, they are all transcendental. Although Krsna appears just like ordinary human being... He does not appear like ordinary human being because Krsna, when He was three months old only, He killed the Putana raksasi. A three month's old child cannot kill such giant demon. It is not possible. Krsna, when He was six or seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. So what is the difficulty for Krsna? If Krsna can float big, big gigantic planets in the air just like cotton swab floating, so is it very difficult for Krsna to lift a mountain with His hand, with His finger? That is not difficult for Krsna. But those who want to be cheated, when Krsna shows His transcendental strength, they don't believe it, another cheating. They, they'll admit, "Oh, these are... What is called?

Devotee: Mythology.

Prabhupada: Mythology. As if Vyasadeva wrote this Srimad-Bhagavatam to put before these rascals some mythology, some imaginary things. Just see how they want to be cheated. Such an exalted personality like Vyasadeva, who has given us the Vedic literature, he presented something which is imaginary. What business He has got? Therefore sometimes these cheated people, they deny to accept that Bhagavata is written by Sri Vyasadeva. But those who are actually acaryas, those who can guide us, like Sankaracarya, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, big, big..., Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they do not say like this, that "It is mythology. It is imaginary." They accept as it is. So we have to follow these mahajana. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah dharmasya tattvam nihito guhayam [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. We have to follow great personalities, acaryas. acaryavan puruso veda. One who has got, one who has taken shelter of acarya, bona fide spiritual master, he knows. Acaryavan puruso veda. Because he is receiving the right knowledge from the right source, acarya... Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Acarya means by disciplic succession. As Krsna says, disciplic succession, all the acaryas will say the same thing. They will not change, they will not interpret. They can explain. But the original fact is not distorted. That is acarya. Acarya will never say that "Krsna is material. Krsna... There was no such thing as Krsna. There was no such battle, Battle of Kuruksetra. These are all imaginary." So if we don't want to be cheated, then we should take Krsna as He is presenting Himself and as it is confirmed by the acaryas. Then our knowledge is perfect. So here it is said,

tatah svetair hayair yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
madhavah pandavas caiva
divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh

Krsna and His devotee Arjuna, they are on the same platform. Therefore Madhava and Pandava. They blew Their transcendental conchshells. This is not ordinary. (reads from purport:) "The sounding of the transcendental conchshells indicated that there was no hope of victory for the other side." This is the sounding. Divyau. They are also sounding their conchshell, even Bhisma, but that cannot be compared with the conchshells of Madhava and Pandava. Arjuna, associates, they are also equally powerful. Nobody can be associates of Krsna without being very, very much advanced. Just like fire can mix with fire, similarly water can mix with water; similarly, unless one is transcendentally advanced, he cannot be associate of Krsna. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura sings, gaurangera sangi-gane, nitya-siddha kori mane, se jay brajendra-suta-pas, Gaurangera sangi-gane.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna, and His associates, sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda, sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda

[I offer my obeisances to Sri Krsna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa and all others in the line of devotion.]

All the devotees. So Narottama dasa Thakura says, "So all these associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu should be known -- they are also of the same category." Gaurangera sangi-gane, nitya-siddha kori mane. This word nitya-siddha is significant. Nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha. There are two kinds of living entities. Nitya-baddha means ever-conditioned. Ever-conditioned means those who are in this material world, they do not know when they came in touch with this material world. Neither they do know when they will be liberated. They are called nitya-baddha, ever-conditioned. And similarly, there are nitya-siddhas. Nitya-siddhas means they never come in contact with this material world, and even they come here for some business, they do not forget their position. That is nitya-siddha. Try to understand. There are two kinds of living entities: nitya-siddha, nitya-baddha. Nitya-baddhas are within this material world. Beginning from Brahma down to a small ant, insignificant ant, they are all nitya-baddhas. Anyone who is in this material world -- nitya-baddha. And nitya-siddhas, they belong to the spiritual world. They never come in contact with this material world, and even they come for some business under the order of the Supreme Lord, they do not touch these material qualities They remain always transcendental. As Krsna remains always transcendental, even though He is in this material world, similarly, Krsna's nitya-siddha associates, they are also transcendental. They never touch this material world.

So try to understand the position of Krsna. Krsna is narayanah paro 'vyaktat, transcendental, parah avyaktat. That is purusottama-yoga in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna has said, "Anyone who has understood Me, ajam avyayam, ajam -- I never take birth in this material world, neither I am deteriorated by material contact -- he knows me perfectly." That is called purusottama. Purusa uttama. Uttama. Uttama means "not of this material world." Ut. Ut means above, and tama means this darkness. So ut-tama means "above this darkness." So uttama purusa. Purusa uttama. Purusa. Purusa means enjoyer. Prakrti means enjoyed. So actually, we are not purusa; we are prakrti. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param, jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. Apareyam, these material elements, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh, earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, bhinna me prakrtir astadha, these are separated energies, material energies of Krsna. They are also prakrti. As this material world is prakrti, similarly, there is another prakrti, Krsna gives information. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param. But that is para-prakrti. So we are not purusa; we are prakrtis. Although by materially dressed, we appear to be purusa, actually, we are not purusa. Just like if you dress one woman like a man, that does mean she has become man. She is woman. Similarly, we are purusa in the sense that we are trying to imitate the supreme purusa, Purusottama. Krsna is the Supreme enjoyer. We are trying to become imitation Krsna. Just like so many rascals, they declare that "God, I am God." That is the last snare, Mayavada. First of all we try to become enjoyer like the head of the family man or a minister or this and that, so many. Everyone is trying to become head, enjoyer. And at last, being baffled in every respect, he wants to become God. This is the last snare of maya. Nobody can become God. He is Purusottama and we are prakrtis. Artificially, how we can become enjoyer? Prakrti means enjoyed. Enjoyer and... Predominator and the predominated.

So jiva-bhuta, we jivas, we are all prakrti. Purusa is only Krsna. All living entities... Visnu-tattva is purusa-tattva, and we are sakti-tattva, sakti, energy, marginal energy of Krsna. So energy is prakrti. The prakrti is not purusa. So Mayavada philosophy is wrong. They pose them as so 'ham. So 'ham "I am the same." How you can be same? In the sastra it is said that "You living entity, you are prakrti." How you can become same, you purusa. This is mistake. How prakrti, how a woman can become man? Artificially one can become. Here also so-called woman, they are also purusa. They are thinking purusa. Purusa means enjoyer. Here woman is also thinking to enjoy, and the so-called man is also thinking to enjoy. Everyone. Nobody wants to serve. Everyone wants to be served. Purusa attitude. Everyone wants to be served. Nobody wants to serve. This is the material conception of life.
So when we agree to serve, not to be served, that is liberated person. When we agree to serve only, not to be served. Not to accept service from others, but to serve others -- that is real liberation. But here the material disease is that everyone is making plan "How others will serve me." This is called maya. This is called maya. Maya means that artificially we want to be served. That is not possible. When we agree to serve... As Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us the path of liberation, jivera svarupa hoy nitya-krsna-dasa, this is our position. We are eternal servant of Krsna.

So when we engage ourself in the service of Krsna... The whole Bhagavad-gita is spoken on this basis. Arjuna was artificially declining to serve Krsna. Krsna wanted him to fight, and Arjuna was putting so many reasons, "How he could fight and kill the other side who are his kinsmen, who are nephews, who are brothers, grandfather?" This argument were being put. So that means he refused to serve Krsna. That is material condition. He was thinking in his own terms. He wanted to enjoy the family members, the so-called nephews, brothers, that "If they are killed, then what is the use of my, this kingdom?" [break] ...but people thinks that I get kingdom I enjoy myself. That is condition. But a liberated soul will take the kingdom, but it will be used for Krsna's service. That is liberated, soul.

In this way we should try to understand, Krsna, Krsna's name, Krsna's fame, Krsna's associates, Krsna's activities, all divyam, transcendental. They are not material. Therefore it is mentioned here, divyau sankhau pradadhmatuh. Divyau sankhau. The sankha used by Krsna and Arjuna, they are not ordinary sankha. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973

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